Some camera lenses can cost a thousand dollars or more. During normal usage, a camera lens is prone to being damaged in a number of ways; the camera may be dropped, or the lens itself may collide with hard objects.
Numerous devices have been devised to protect camera lenses.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/651,511 (Dowell) discloses a padded protective frusto-conical shaped cup covering sized to slip over a camera lens is disclosed. The covering is designed to fit on either the front portion of the lens or the rear lens mount. The protective covering has beveled side walls which allow it to fit easily on a variety of different lenses. The protective covering is made from two separate layers of material, an outer cup made from a firm yet flexible material, and the inner liner made from a soft pliable material. In one embodiment the outer cup includes a circumferential retaining ring on the inside of the cup to help secure the cup onto a lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,491 (Immel) discloses An eye guard for use on the eye-end of an optical instrument is provided having an instrument-end member adapted for connection to the optical instrument, an eye-end member adapted to interface with the periocular portion of the user's face, a hinge member disposed between the instrument-end and eye-end members having two flexible annular hinges, and a diaphragm comprising a plurality of segments attached to the interior of the hinge member between the annular hinges. The force of the user's eye pressing the eye-end member toward the instrument-end member deforms the annular hinges such that the normally closed diaphragm segments move to an open position, allowing light to pass through the eye guard.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,358,928 (Appel et al.) discloses a lens guard for protecting a camera. The lens guard includes a lens guard housing, a pressurized gas system, and a gas supply. The housing defines an opening and has a transparent protective lens disposed in the opening and having an outer surface exposed to the environment, an upper portion, and a portion defining apertures shaped to respectively receive therein camera support rods operable to mount the lens-guard housing to the camera in front of a lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,523 (Dowell) discloses a padded protective cup shaped covering sized to slip over a camera lens. The covering fits onto either the front portion of the lens or the lens mount. The protective covering has beveled side walls which allow it to fit easily on a variety of different lenses.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,118,439 (Cuadra) discloses a selectively positionable lens cover having a lens housing volume and an arcuate lip portion for the selective engagement to and disengagement from a lens. The lens cover has a first engagement structure whereby the first engagement structure may be releaseably engaged with and removed from a second engagement structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,266 (Maeda) depicts a lens cap formed with not only a lens covering portion for covering the photographic objective lens of a camera, but also with both a portion, such as protection wall for preventing inadvertent operation of the camera shutter release button and a projection for preventing unexpected movement of the operation member of the camera which is adapted for switching the camera from a normal photography condition to a flash photography condition.
What is needed is a protection lens cover that does not interfere with the optical path and need not be removed to capture a photographic image, and can remain on the camera lens indefinitely.
What is needed is a lens cover that protects the entire outer surface of the lens body without covering any of the lens elements or camera-mount surfaces. What is needed is a protection lens cover that provides an interference fit with the focus ring of the lens to preserve the ability of manual focus.
What is needed is a lens cover that provides an interference fit enabling the lens cover to remain in place despite the orientation of the camera. What is needed is a protection lens cover that remains in place on the camera lens if the camera lens is rapidly accelerated through space or if the camera lens is struck by a foreign object. What is needed is a protection lens cover that preserves the resale value of a camera lens.